Basket



C. N. VCLARK BASKET fL? www @ZM C. N. CLARK BASKET Filed sept. 14, 1921 s sheets-sheet Patented Dies. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES CHARLES 1\T. CLARK, 0F SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BASKET.

Application led September 14, 1921.

" be hereinafter referred to as a coal basket.

rlhe invention has for its object to provide a light-weight, strong, durable and inexpensive basket, and one which will conform readily to the back of the workman to render it easy to carry when loaded, and which will also withstand the wear and tear of use.

'llo this end, the body portion of the basket is made of flexible, non-metallic material, preferably fibrous material, suoli as canvas, and provision is made for protecting the canvas body portion at the mouth of the basket from the cutting or abrasive action of the coal, etc., when the latter is dumped out of the basket.

Provision is also made for supporting the basket when resting on the ground, so that the basket may be quickly and readily filled with coal or other material, and provision is also made, whereby the supporting members may have their lower or free ends moved toward each other to permit the canvas body portion to be collapsed or folded.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of basket embodying the invention.

Fig. 2, a front elevation of the basket shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, a detail in section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.`

Fig. 11, a side elevation of the basket shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, a plan of the basket inverted.

Fig. 6, a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7, a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 2.

Fig. 8, a plan of the basket shown in Fig. 1 collapsed and inverted.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11, details of the basket to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, a represents Serial No. 500,562.

the body portion of flexible, non-metallic material, preferably canvas. The canvas body portion may and preferably will be made from a flat piece or sheet 10 of canvas (see Fig. 10, which has end portions 12, 13 and an intermediate portion Ascut out to form bottom flaps 15, 16 and body flaps 17, 18). The sheet 10 is then folded lengthwise and the flaps 15', 16 are overlapped as shown in Fig. 6 and secured together by stitches 19 to form the bottom of the basket. The body flaps 17, 18 are then overlapped and secured together by stitches 20 to forni the body porh tion of the basket, and the flap which appears on the outside of the basket is preferably folded upon itself as shown in Fig. 7, before being stitched. This presents a smooth, rounded edge on the outside of the basket and gives it a finished appearance. rlhe stitched, overlapping bottom flaps 15, 16 are then firmly secured at their ends to the overlapping body liaps 17, 18 and to the por tion of the body opposite said body flaps, and this result may and preferably will be eected by means of metal clamping members, preferably made as herein shown (see Fig. 3) and each consisting of a metal strip folded longitudinally to form clamping jaws 22, 23, between which are inserted atv one side of the basket three layers of fabric; to wit, the body portion a and the two bottom flaps 15, 16, and at the other side of the basket, four layers of fabric: to wit, the body flaps 17, 18 and the bottom flaps 15, 16. The fabric layers are firmly clamped together by rivets 24 extended through the clamping jaws 22, 23, and the bottom of the basket is thus effectively closed.

The body portion a at its upper end is open to form the mouth of the basket and provision is made for protecting the canvas body portion at the mouth of the basket against the cutting or abrasive action of the coal, etc., when the contents of the basket are dumped out of the same.

.F or this purpose the mouth of the basket is provided with a metal rim 25 (see Fig. 3) which is constructed and arranged so as to provide the mouth of the basketwith a metal surface 26 on the inside of the basket and a metal surface 27 on the upper edge of the basket, by which the coal or other contents of the basket is prevented from contacting with the canvas body portion at the mouth of the basket, thereby prolonging the life of the basket.

In the present instance the metal rim 25 is formed from a relatively thin sheet metal strip, which is folded about a preferably thicker reenforcing metal strip 28 over the upper edge of which the canvas body a is folded from the outside, and the portion 29 of the canvas body lying on the inner side of the metal strip 28 is interposed between the latter and the metal surface 26 of the metal rim 25.

In practice, it is preferred to apply the reenforcing metal strip 28 in flat form to the flat sheet 10 of t-he canvas, and to then fold the metal rim 25 over the edge of the canvas lying on the metal strip 28 and to press the rim 25 firmly together to clamp the canvas in place.

. The metal rim 25, the center reenforcing metal strip 28 and the canvas sheet 10 are then shaped into the desired form, which in the present instance is shown as Octagonal, and in which the ends of the metal parts and the canvas sheet overlap as represented in Fig. l, whereupon the overlapping ends of the metal rim 25, center strip 28 and the canvas 10 are firmly secured together by rivets 30 or otherwise.

'.It may be preferred to make the metal strip from which the rim 25 is formed of suiiicient width to allow its opposite side edges to overlap as shown in Fig. 3, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as the vital part of the canvas to be protected is the upper portion of the canvas body a with which the coal would otherwise contact when dumped out of the basket.

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that Vthe metal rim 25 covers the upper edge portion of the canvas body and affords a smooth metallic wearing surface for the coal and the like to contact therewith when the latter is dumped out of the basket, which latter is therefore practically indestructible.

Provision is made for supporting the basket in its open position upon the ground, and to this end, the basket is provided with supporting members, which are of suiiicient length to rest upon the ground and to raise the bottom of the basket therefrom.

The supporting members are connected with the metal rim in such manner as to permit the body portion a of the basket to be collapsed more or less and. folded up into proximity to the metal rim, so that the basket may assume a substantially flat compact form (see Fig. 8) for storage, shipment or the like.

In the present instance supporting members of a preferred construction are shown (see Figs. l, 2 and 3), which arearranged at opposite sides of the basket, and each consists of two legs 32 preferably of wood, which are arranged with their lower ends spaced apart and their upper ends close together and secured by rivets 33 or other wise to the lower member of a hinge whose upper member is fastened tothe metal rim by the rivets 3() or otherwise. The upper member of the hinge comprises side arms 34 connected by a back plate 35 through which the rivets 30 are extended, and the lower member comprises side arms 36 connected by a front plate 37 to which the upper ends of the legs 32 are secured by the rivets 33 or otherwise. rlhe upper and low? er members are connected by a pivot pin or pintle 38, which is encircled by a coil spring 39 having one end connected with a side arm 36 of the lower hinge member and its other end connected with a side arm 34 of the upper hinge member, said connections being effected as shown by passing the bent ends of said spring through holes in the arms 36, 34 of said hinge members.

The legs 82 are secured to the body portion of the basket and to the clamping members 22, 23 by the rivets 24 (see Fig. The springs 39 automatically turn the legs outwardly into their operative position. It will be observed that the upper ends of the legs are not connected with the canvas body, which relieves the latter from strain when the legs are folded under the rim as shownin Fig. 8, thereby avoiding tearing or puncturing of the canvas body. rIhe supporting members or legs are located substantially diametrically opposite and are separated for substantially the full width of the basket, whereby a wide section 40 of the canvas body portion (see Fig. 4) is left free to engage the back of the workman when the basket is being carried on his back.

By reference to Fig. 4, .it will be seen that the basket may be applied to the back of the workman with the portion 4() of the canvas body in contact therewith, which portion 40 is free to yield and conform to the shape of the back of the workman, and a broad or' wide bearing is thus obtained for the basket, which renders it much easier for the workman to carry when loaded.

The basket may be provided with handles 4l for lifting` the basket by hand. These handles may le made from canvas or other suitable material and riveted to the metal rim. The metal rim may also have fastened to it hooks or devices 4?) for engagement with a suitable tackle or lifting device (not shown), when it is desired to elevate the basket from the ground by mechanical means, into convenient position for transferring it to the back of the workman.

The hooks 43 may be made from sheet metal, and as represented riveted to the metal rim substantially diametrically opposite and substantially at right angles to the handles 4l.

It is preferred to attach the upper ends of the supporting members or legs 32 to the llO metal rim in such manner as to permit the legs to be folded under the rim into positions substantially paralled therewith, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect.

Claims:

l. In a basket or receptacle of the char acter described, in combination, a body portion consisting entirely of flexible nonmetallic material open at its mouth. a protective member for the mouth of the basket arranged to cover the inner side and upper edge of said body portion, and supporting members attached to opposite sides of said basket and having their lower ends free to be moved toward each other and under the basket to permit the said body portion to be collapsed and to be moved away from each other to open up and support the said body portion 'when the latter is to be filled.

2. A basket for transporting coal and the like, comprising a body portion of nonmetallic material having flexible bottom and an open mouth, a protective member for the mouth of the basket arranged to cover the inner side and upper edge of said body portion, and to protect the same when the load is dumped out of the basket, and supporting members secured to and depending from said protective member on opposite sides of the basket and having their lower ends capable of being moved toward each other and under the basket from opposite sides of the latter.

3. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible material provided with a mouth, supporting members for said body portion, a reinforcing member within the mouth and over which the end of the body portion is folded, a protective member wrapped around said reinforcing member, and means for securing said protective member and reinforcing member to the basket supporting members to clamp the body portion between the protective member and said reinforcing member.

4. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material open at its mouth, a metal rim for said mouth, and supporting devices for said basket comprising upper members attached to said metal rim, and lower members pivotally connected with the said upper members to permit the` flexible body portion to be collapsed.

5. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material open at its mouth and having overlapping ends, a re-enforcing member for the mouth of the body portion provided with overlapping ends and over which the flexible body portion is folded, a metal rim folded about the re-enforcing member and the folded-over portion oi' the body portion and provided with overlapping ends, and means for securing the overlapping ends of the metal rim, re-enforcing member and interposed body portion in fixed relation.

6. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material open at its mouth, a metal rim for said mouth, and supporting devices for said basket comprising upper members attached to said metal rim, and lower members attached to the flexible body portion and pivotally connected with the said upper members to permit the flexible body portion to be collapsed.

7 In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material open at its mouth, an inflexible rim for said mouth, and supporting devices for said basket hinged to said rim to permit the lower end of said devices to be moved under the said rim, and

means for attaching the lower ends of said supporting devices to said body portion.

8. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of' flexible non-metallic material open at its mouth, a metal rim for said mouth, supporting devices for said basket attached at their lower ends to the body portion, lower hinge members to which the upper ends of said supporting devices are secured, upper hinge members secured to said metal rim and to which the lower hinge members are pivoted, and springs to automatically move said supporting devices into their operative position under normal conditions.

9. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material having overlapping body flaps secured together and overlapping bottom aps secured together, and metallic clamping members for securing the ends of the overlapping bottom flaps to the said body portion.

10. In a basket or receptacle of the character described, in combination, a body portion of flexible non-metallic material having overlapping body aps secured together and overlapping bottom flaps secured together. and means for securing the ends of the overlapping bottom flaps to the said body portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES N. CLARK. 

